Snowdrop
by pickleball6
Summary: Pre-movie Jack makes a friend.


Jack paused for a minute. He was leaning heavily on his staff and couldn't go on much longer. He looked around the mountain he had just climbed, wondering for the millionth time if he was going in the right direction. He saw something run at him out of the corner of his eye. He quickly brought his staff up to block the other man's axe and stabbed him in the shoulder with his dagger. The man howled in pain before shoving Jack to the ground, sending both of their weapons flying. The other man pulled Jack's dagger out of his shoulder and as the man charged at him, Jack scrabbled backwards and grabbed the axe, holding it up just in time. It pierced through the other man and he died instantly. Jack quickly shoved him off of him and laid there, trying to ignore the pain in his ribs. He sat up and saw a small tent with a fire glowing inside it in the distance. Maybe it belonged to the man. Maybe there were some supplies left. He retrieved his staff and dagger as he began to hobble towards the welcoming glow. He passed out halfway there.

When he woke up everything was blurry. All he saw was a shape moving around. Then he heard the voice of an old man. "This blade has a dark past. It has shed much innocent blood." As he spoke Jack's eyesight began to clear and he saw that the man was holding his attacker's axe. As he dropped it nearby he said to Jack, still not looking at him, "You're a fool for traveling alone so completely unprepared. You're lucky your blood's still flowing." He poured Jack a bowl of soup from a pot hanging over a fire in the center of the tent. Jack accepted it with a quiet thank you and looked around his new environment. He was laying on a pile of blankets that worked as a makeshift bed. There were a bunch of small ice sculptures connected by strings of linked snow flakes hanging from the ceiling. The tent seemed to be scraps of material roughly sewn together. Jack looked at the strange man and said, "If you don't mind my asking, who are you?"

The man just smiled and said, "Let's just say you took over my job for me." Holy cow! He was speaking to Old Man Winter! But... what was he doing _here _of all places? Old Man Winter sat down in front of Jack while he was figuring this out. "So, what brings you to these parts?" Jack looked down at his soup, pain in his eyes. "I'm... I'm searching for someone." Old Man Winter looked at him knowingly and whispered, "Someone very dear. A kindred spirit." Jack looked at him and whispered, "A wolf." Old Man Winter sighed. "A dangerous quest for a lone hunter." Jack sighed as well as he began his story. "I've been alone for as long as I can remember..."

* * *

Jack was looking through his forest for anything to fill his stomach. He had already gone days without food and he was pretty sure his stomach was trying to eat his intestines. He paused when he heard a thump nearby. He ran towards it and held up his staff defensively. He immediately lowered it when he saw what it was. A snow white wolf pup was pressing herself as close to a tree as she could in her fear. Her left shoulder had a big gash and it was bleeding heavily. Jack crouched down so he would be less of a threat and held out his hand to her. "Ssshh. It's okay. Ssh." The wolf pup stilled and began to move toward his out stretched fingers, giving them a cautious sniff.

.

The wolf pup howled in pain as Jack cleaned her wound. "Ssh hey! Shh Shh. We're almost done. Hey! Sit still!" He grabbed her gently but firmly as she tried to crawl away. She laid on her back in his lap and curled up in a little ball, her tail slowly wagging. Jack had to giggle at her cuteness. Later that night Jack set down a little bowl of water for her and patted down the pile of blankets he had set up for her in his cave. As they went to their respective pile of blankets Jack looked at her and whispered, "Goodnight Snowdrop."

.

Weeks passed. Snowdrop's wound healed. And each night she slept closer to Jack then the night before. Until one night she slept curled up against his stomach, his hand on her back. All that was left of her wound was slightly thicker fur where the wound was. That day Jack and Snowdrop were playing tag when Snowdrop froze and took off after something. Jack followed after her, calling her back. He paused when something felt out of the sky right in front of him. It was a dead chicken. He looked up and saw Snowdrop in the tree branch above him. Jack could only laugh.

.

Jack and Snowdrop were having a snowball fight. Well, Jack made and threw the snowballs and Snowdrop caught them with her mouth. Jack paused when he heard the sound of running feet. Another wolf that looked just like Snowdrop came running in, grabbed snowdrop by the scruff of her neck, and started to run away again. Jack screamed and flew on the wind until he saw them again. He dropped down so he was in front of them but the other wolf just jumped on him and knocked him over. His head landed and a rock and the last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was the other wolf getting away with his Snowdrop. When he came to, he looked around and then in the direction they had gone. His expression soon became a mixture of livid and determined.

.

He traveled that direction for many weeks. He didn't risk flying in case he missed them. When the hot sun beat down on him he just muscled through and walked in the shade. When animals attacked he just led them to a dead end before flying back to his starting position. When the rains came and thunder boomed and lightning crackled, he still walked on, determined to find his wolf pup. Jack paused for a minute. He was leaning heavily on his staff and couldn't go on much longer. He looked around the mountain he had just climbed, wondering for the millionth time if he was going in the right direction. He saw something run at him out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

Jack was sobbing by this point. Only one thought ran through his head. "I have failed." Old Man Winter grunted. "You have only failed your seeing. These are wolf lands Jack. You are closer than you know." Jack looked at him surprised. His expression grew hopeful, then determined. He grabbed his staff and ran out of the tent as he continued his journey with a new vigor. He eventually came to a large and deep cave. He went inside, his staff at the ready as he quietly went deeper and deeper. There were crystals all around that covered the cave in blue light which let Jack see his surroundings. He came into a large chamber and saw a large snow white wolf eating what looked to be a deer at the very back. Over in a corner was an equally white wolf pup, fast asleep. Jack's heart leapt with joy as he slowly moved towards her. He reached out to her just as she woke up. She began to move away and yelp in fear.

The bigger wolf instantly attacked as the pup ran out of the cave. "Snowdrop!" The wolf jumped on him and bit into his shoulder. He screamed in pain and froze the back of her neck. She howled in pain and he threw her off. He drew his dagger just as she leapt at him and pinned him down. She paused and began to sniff him. She reared back as recognition sparked in her eyes. Jack quickly used the distraction to his advantage and stabbed her right in the chest. She gave a shrill howl that shook the cave was as she stumbled back. Jack was about to strike the final blow when he stopped at the look of betrayal on her face. He then saw her left shoulder. The fur was slightly thicker. "Snowdrop?" Jack suddenly realized just how much time had passed. He looked at Snowdrop in horror as she closed her eyes for the last time, her head dropped, and her breathing ceased. The cave began collapsing around them so Jack turned and ran as fast as he could, dodging falling rocks and debris.

* * *

Jack sat on the cliff sobbing. The cave entrance was filled with rocks behind him. Jack had never hated himself more then that moment. He stood up and began walking down the mountain, his feet dragging. As he did he dropped everything he had on his person except the clothes on his back and his staff, which he had grabbed right before the tunnel collapsed. As he began his long trek home, a small snow white wolf pup hesitantly trailed after him.

**I'm so sorry! I can't believe I wrote this! Please don't hate me. I was sobbing while I wrote this. This is based on a short film I watched. I'm putting a link in my profile if anyone wants to watch the original. Again I am so sorry!**


End file.
